Britney Spears' lawyer has been served with papers — six months after they were filed — for a pre-emptive lawsuit from a Utah drug company seeking relief from accusations that it tried to capitalize on the singer's reported use of the diet pill Zantrex-3. Basic Research claims it was ordered to stop citing an episode where Spears was seen spilling a bottle of the diet aid at London's Heathrow Airport, a fumble captured by photographers. The company claims it wasn't using the incident for its own benefit, and Basic Research is asking a federal judge to declare it has violated no law. ...

One show from Hanson's acoustic tour last fall will be the subject of the DVD "Underneath Acoustic Live," due July 27. The video, shot at the House of Blues in Chicago, features 19 songs, including their breakthrough hit, "MMMBop," and latest single, "Penny and Me." ... Boasting more than 130 artists spread across eight stages, the third annual Austin City Limits Festival, set for September 17-19 in the city's Zilker Park, will feature an eclectic lineup that includes Sheryl Crow, Trey Anastasio, the Pixies, Dashboard Confessional, Wilco, Modest Mouse, Franz Ferdinand and the Roots. Two months before this year's three-day show kicks off, fans can remember last year's performances by R.E.M., Bright Eyes, Kings of Leon and others with The ACL Festival Live CD, due July 27. ...

Stoner-rock pioneers Fu Manchu are putting the finishing touches on their next album, slated for an August release, with producer Brian Dobbs (Coolio). The as-yet-untitled effort will be the band's seventh album and follow-up to 2001's California Crossing. ... Papa Roach will begin their summer tour on June 25 in Spokane, Washington. Dates are scheduled through August 4 in West Hollywood, California. Instruction and Dead Poetic will open. Papa Roach's third major-label album, Getting Away With Murder, is due in mid-September. ...

With more than two dozen songs in tow, dance-rock quartet Hot Hot Heat will begin pre-production for their second album later this month in Los Angeles. Dave Sardy (Jet, Dandy Warhols) is on board to produce the band's follow-up to 2002's Make Up the Breakdown. ... Former Dead Kennedys frontman Jello Biafra's collaboration with the Melvins, Never Breathe What You Can't See, is scheduled for a September 30 release. ...

Static-X will hit the road this summer on the Family Picnic Tour with Trust Company, Soil, Lo-Pro and Arithmetic of War. The tour launches July 27 in San Antonio, Texas, and winds through the country before wrapping up on August 6 in Dallas. ... Kittie will start a tour on July 7 in Chicago. Nine dates have been scheduled through July 30 in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Candiria, 36 Crazyfists and Twelve Tribes are also on the bill. ...

06.16.04

The Hip-Hop Summit Action Network is coming to the Big Easy. On Thursday at the New Orleans Arena, the New Orleans Hip-Hop Summit will feature appearances by Reverend Run, LL Cool J, Doug E. Fresh, Bone Crusher, David Banner, Choppa, and B2K's Raz-B, among others. The event will be hosted by Russell Simmons, Def Jam president Kevin Liles and the Cash Money family. ...

Nick Lachey was spotted sharing ice cream in the park with a blonde babe Wednesday afternoon — and it wasn't his wife. Lachey and Olympic Gold Medalist Oksana Baiul were scooping ice cream for a Big Brothers Big Sisters benefit in New York's Bryant Park. Lachey is the "Official Centennial Spokesperson" for the organization. ... Courtney Love issued a statement late Tuesday in which she pledged to reschedule her tour, starting with a headlining gig at the Fuji Festival in Japan on August 1. She also called her latest legal trouble — a felony charge of assault with a deadly weapon — "frivolous, malicious ... merit-less assaults" on her person. ...

It's not exactly surprising that bleeding-heart rocker Rivers Cuomo is the latest artist to jump on the blog bandwagon. On the Weezer frontman's Myspace.com page, he's posted three new cover songs with something in common: "Invincible" by pop newcomer Ann Poonkasem, "Annie's Song" by John Denver and "Tomorrow" from the play "Annie." ... Hundreds of musicians hoping to hit it big auditioned last Friday in Los Angeles at the first day of Ozzfest's unsigned-band contest, and now their East Coast counterparts can step up to the challenge Friday at the New York auditions to be held at the Roxy (515 W. 18th Street). The winning band will be rewarded with a spot on the main stage at this year's Ozzfest, a space on the second stage at Ozzfest 2005, free music equipment and cash prizes. ...

Drowning Pool, Dropbox and Flaw will tour together from June 30 in Springfield, Missouri, through July 24 in Madison, Wisconsin. Drowning Pool will also appear on June 19 at the 98.9 Rockfest in Kansas City, Missouri, and June 28 at Summerfest in Milwaukee. ... Conceptual metalheads Coheed and Cambria's latest LP, In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3 will be reissued by major label Columbia on June 29. The band, whose songs concern the lives of fictional couple Coheed and Cambria in an alternate universe, will help kick off the Vans Warped Tour on June 25. ...

Eminem's ex-wife, Kimberly Mathers, was arrested in an Ann Arbor, Michigan, hotel Tuesday night, on a two-month-old arrest warrant. In April, a Macomb County Judge issued a felony probation violation warrant for Mathers after she failed to return to a court-ordered drug treatment program. In January, Mathers was initially ordered to serve 30 days in county jail and an additional 90 days in treatment for drug violations. ... Flavor Flav is going from the rap life to "The Surreal Life." The clock-toting Public Enemy member will join the cast of the third season of the reality show, which will also feature Jordan Knight of New Kids on the Block, Dave Coulier of "Full House," Ryan Starr of "American Idol," Charo, seen often on '70s show "The Love Boat," and action star Brigitte Nielsen. The cast moved into its Hollywood mansion on Tuesday. The third season premiers on VH1 September 5. ...

Phantom Planet singer Alex Greenwald says that chicks love vegetarians, and to prove his point, he's posing with a baby chick for a new PETA campaign. "There's a lot of horrendous things that go on, not to everyone's knowledge" in the chicken-farming industry, Greenwald said while posing for the campaign poster last week. "People should be aware of it, and not just how cute little chicks can be." ... The Lostprophets shot a video for their next single, "Last Summer," on Tuesday in Los Angeles with the Malloys, who have recently worked with 311 and Metallica. The group is currently riding the wave of its current single "Wake Up (Make a Move"), so no radio add date has been announced for "Last Summer." ...

Pearl Jam will release a mostly acoustic live double disc on July 27. The 24-song Live at Benaroya Hall October 22, 2003 will feature more than two hours of material. Highlights include the first live performance of "Man of the Hour" and covers of Bob Dylan's "Masters of War," the Ramones' "I Believe in Miracles" and Johnny Cash's "25 Minutes to Go." ... The University of St. Andrews in Scotland will award Bob Dylan with an honorary degree at this year's summer graduation ceremony on June 23. This is the second honorary degree that the rock icon has accepted — the other was from Princeton University in 1970. Currently on a European tour, Dylan will play one of two Glasgow dates that evening. ...

Whether you like him or not, Uncle Kracker's new album will sound the best. That's because Seventy Two and Sunny, due June 29, will be the first album to feature 5.1 surround sound on a standard CD. ... Pioneering Los Angeles punk band X are releasing what's being touted as their first-ever best-of collection, out July 27. Compiled by John Doe, X: The Best - Make the Music Go Bang will be a two-disc, 46-track set, spanning their entire recording career. Songs from X's alt-country offshoot, the Knitters, will also be included ...